A Nova Vida
by Maxine A
Summary: AH. Isabella Swan has always led a sensible life, until she finds herself drawn to the talented and mysterious Edward Cullen. Suddenly she finds herself immersed in a world of excitement, passion and danger as she aids Edward in his quest to uncover the truth about his past. But will this new life bring her a love she never expected, or cast her deep into the shadows of despair?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Dr. Carlisle Cullen was a kind and compassionate man. He took great pleasure in his job healing the sick and wounded. He could think of nothing more worthwhile and fulfilling than what he did, and although he received many, he never asked for a word of gratitude from any of his patients. In truth, the satisfaction that his job brought him was thanks enough. But there were the rare moments. The moments when he'd ask himself "Is it really worth it?" The moments when he'd consider walking out of those hospital doors and never looking back. But this time, it was far worse.

He gazed upon the face of the young woman, once so beautiful, but now merely a lifeless shadow of this former beauty. This face bared no similarity to the young girl he had met all those years ago in high school. It was haggard and drawn, and even in death it could not find peace. Carlisle turned from the corpse he had fought so furiously to save, and without a pause, left the room.

Once outside he allowed the grief to wash over himself, slumping against the cold hospital wall. How would he tell his wife, Esme, that he could not save her only sister? Though they hadn't spoken in years, Carlisle knew that her sister's passing would destroy Esme. Waves of anguish rolled through Carlisle as he thought of the pain he would have to bring his wife. And Edward? Carlisle's young nephew, only five years old. How would they tell him that his mother had given up on even him, leaving the boy starving and alone due to her neglect? How much would he understand?

Even though she had hurt the boy in the most terrible way, Carlisle could not find it within himself to hate the woman who had once been his friend, his family. He only felt sorrow. Sorrow, for he had not realised the pain his sister-in-law must have been going through. To take her own life in such a horrible way. Carlisle couldn't help but blame himself for all the pain he could have helped to erase. And now, all the pain his family would feel because of this. He knew, inside, that there was nothing he could do, but he couldn't stand the feeling of being so helpless.

With a shuddering breath, Carlisle rose from the floor and moved towards room 519, where he would find his wife and nephew. He hesitated briefly, preparing himself for whatever may come now. Carlisle took one last breath, then he pushed open the cream door and entered the small room.

Inside he found his wife, hunched over the small hospital bed which sat in the middle of the room, grasping the fragile hand of the unconscious young boy. He had multiple needles taped into his arm, and the slow bleep of a pulse monitor announced each strained heartbeat, faltering every few seconds. Even at his young age, Edward Masen was handsome. Strands of his messy copper hair stuck to the sheen of sweat around his face. He looked so pale and thin, it was clear that it had been weeks, if not months since he'd had a proper meal. Once again, Carlisle shook with grief as he imagined the torment this boy had endured. Esme looked up from Edward, expectation in her eyes. Dark purple circles had settled under her eyes which were blood shot from the tears that seemed to continuously fall.

"Elizabeth?" she whispered. Her voice broke as she did so.

Carlisle closed his eyes, shaking his head as his own tears began to fall. A sob broke from Esme's throat. In two quick strides, Carlisle was holding her in his arms, gently rocking her as they cried together. He would have given anything to save his wife this grief and pain. After all she had been through, she deserved only happiness.

Only a month prior, Esme had discovered that she could not have children. Though they had already begun the process of adoption, Carlisle knew how Esme wished she could give Carlisle a son of his own. Not that Carlisle ever minded the idea of an adopted child, he loved Esme with all his heart, and would do only whatever made her happy.

Carlisle looked back at the boy who lay still in the hospital cot, completely unaware that he had lost everything. "_Not everything_." And with that, Carlisle vowed that he would give Edward the stable and happy home he too deserved. In that, Esme would find her happiness too.

* * *

**Hi everyone! So this was really more of a spur of the moment thing, I had an idea and decided I might try to pursue it. I'm definitely not much of a writer, I really just wanted to try my hand at something different so I do ask that throughout this story please don't criticise my poor expression too much. That said, of course constructive criticism is much appreciated, as well as any other feedback you may have. Just bear in mind that this is more for my own personal entertainment than anything else. And with that, hopefully I'll write a bit more as time goes on. I can't promise regular updates, as I'm sure you all know very well, life is busy and we all have to prioritise. I'm currently in my final year of college so you can imagine that free time is slightly limited. **

**Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll see you soon.  
**


	2. The Hostile Angel

**Chapter 1- The Hostile Angel**

I pursed my lips as I stared at the blank document on my laptop screen. The page appeared untouched, giving no evidence of the numerous attempts to express my thoughts, before holding the backspace key until the words were no more. It was very unlike me to struggle with writer's block, especially with a paper on Romeo and Juliet.

But here I found myself, cross legged on the living room floor, surrounded by scripts covered with my scruffy annotations and countless empty cups of coffee. I'd read Romeo and Juliet many times, always relishing in the beauty of the star crossed lovers. My old copy, given to me by my flighty and erratic mother during one of her many artistic phases when she'd decided to take up amateur theatrics, now lay on the floor beside me, damaged and worn out from over use. I definitely needed a new copy, but this one meant so much to me. It reminded me of my early teenage years in Phoenix with my mom, before moving to Forks at the age of seventeen to live with my Dad until I left for college. It was my favourite Shakespeare, and although I'd never admit it, I secretly envied their love, so strong, not even death could keep them apart.

So why couldn't I say a single word about it? I moaned in frustration, planting my face in my hands as I tried to clear my head.

"Bella?" a tired voice came from the doorway.

I looked up from the screen, allowing my eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. Across the room stood my flatmate, Alice, dressed in pale blue pyjamas. Her ink black, pixie-like hair spiked out in every direction, looking like what might have been a delicately styled hair-do, but was in fact just her typical bed head. Her half closed eyes and slumped figure against the door-frame indicated that bed was exactly where she wanted to be right now.

"What are you still doing up?" she murmured quietly. Even in a whisper, her voice sounded like tinkling bells.

I quickly glanced at the screen corner clock. _4am_. I hadn't even noticed the early hour. It had been almost seven hours since I'd sat down to write.

"This paper's due in today" I whispered back, anxiety evident in my voice.

Alice crossed her arms. "Well, this divine inspiration you seem to be waiting for isn't going to come any time soon" she huffed. "You're better off catching a good night's sleep. Perhaps, when you're well rested and refreshed, it'll come easier." She yawned the last part.

I nodded in agreement, closing the laptop without bothering to save or turn off. I slowly pulled myself up from the floor, allowing the notes in my lap to fall silently into a scattered heap. Alice waited for me at the door, struggling to keep herself up right. It was clear she wasn't going to last much longer, so I hurried past her, heading towards my bedroom.

"Bella?" she called quietly, just as I reached for the door handle.

I looked back expectantly.

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself, ok? Go out every once in a while, have some fun. Take your mind off work every now and then."

I sighed. Now that I was so close to the end of my final semester at college, I'd thrown myself into my literature major, taking up any extra work which could earn diploma credits, and working with my professors in my spare hours to gain whatever experience I could.

While my mom had been thrilled about me embracing my artistic nature, clearly inherited from her, my dad had been less enthusiastic about my choice of major. Being the Chief of Police, and generally a pragmatic man, Charlie hadn't seen the value in an arts major.

"_If you want to end up a backpacking hippie like your mother, Bella, then I suggest you go on a life skills training course instead of wasting tuition on a worthless three years at college_."

Part of me understood where Charlie was coming from. He was sensible about his life choices, and so it was by no accident that he found himself the boss at work. He was looking out for me and making sure that when it came to it, I'd be able to fend for myself, starting with getting a stable job to make a living. But part of me wondered whether his aversion to risk taking was mostly my mom's doing.

Renee and Charlie had met when they were both nineteen, while Renee was travelling through Forks. It didn't take long for them to declare their love for one another, but Renee couldn't stay grounded in one place forever. In a desperate attempt to keep Renee from leaving, Charlie proposed to her. Being the spontaneous romantic she was, of course Renee said yes, and they had a fast marriage at city hall.

At first, their marriage seemed an exciting adventure. Renee enjoyed the challenge of being domesticated, and Charlie enjoyed feeling settled and knowing exactly where the future would take him. But it didn't take long for Renee to grow tired of the consistency and yearn for a new adventure. She begged Charlie to leave with her, and travel the world, but Charlie knew where he belonged. After I was born, Renee knew she had to get out. She wouldn't raise me in such a place where any hope and ambition would be stifled by the town's gloom. So she left without Charlie, taking me to start a new life.

We travelled for a while, mostly to the sunniest places of the world. As I grew older, I assumed a more parental role over my mom, keeping her grounded so that her life never fell off track, encouraging her whenever she wanted to try something new, and supporting her when she was too afraid to try on her own.

In my early teen years she met Phil, a minor league baseball player. Though he was much younger, her youthful flare meant that they were a perfect match. Phil loved her spontaneity and fun loving personality, but he also took responsibility for Renee, and ensured that none of her daft ideas caused any harm. They took their relationship slowly, first settling together in Phoenix, Arizona, and then marrying almost five years after they met. I knew that my mom would be safe with Phil, and that it was time to mend the relationship with my dad.

Living with Charlie for two years was far easier than living with Renee. We kept out of each other's way, and we took care of ourselves. It was nice to be a normal teenager for a while.

But now that he was alone again, I wished he would meet someone else like my mom had. Charlie was heartbroken after my mom left, and even now it was clear that he never got over her. I just wished that he would find happiness again.

Perhaps then he would understand why writing really was the only path for me. No matter how sensible or pragmatic my future plans were, I would always have this burning desire to translate my feelings into words for others to appreciate, just as I did the work of other authors. It was an impulsive career choice, with few openings for jobs, but it was all I wanted. And if putting in the extra hours and stress helped me get there, it was worth it.

I yawned softly, wishing Alice a good night as I prepared to collapse in my bed for the night.

-x-

I rushed around the apartment, frantically searching for my old black converse. I had overslept by nearly an hour and was dangerously close to being late for my extra cred job with Professor Taylor. I usually never did more than sort his papers and bring him coffee, but it was important that he gave me a shining reference when the semester was over.

"Bella" I heard from the hallway. I peeked around the corner of my bedroom door to see my other flatmate, Rosalie, looking pointedly towards the floor. I followed her gaze which fell upon my converse.

"Oh Rose, I could kiss you!" I cried as I hurried to slip them on.

She laughed. "Better not, I have a modelling audition with All Saints at 10 and I have to look perfect."

I rolled my eyes. Rose couldn't look anything less than perfect if she tried. She was tall and slim, with curves in all the right places. Her blonde hair fell in natural ringlets to the middle of her back, framing her stunning heart-shaped face. As if she wasn't blessed enough, her deep blue eyes were the kind any person could get lost within. All of this meant that she was sure to get any modelling job she tried for.

Of course everyone could see the beauty Rose possessed. What was unexpected about her was her intelligence, which exceeded anyone's I'd ever met. Rosalie was majoring in Biology and Neuroscience at the university, and was averaging top of her class consistently for the three years we'd been in attendance. Rose was pursuing the kind of life my father would have wished for me. She'd graduate from Brown knowing that with her diploma she could find a stable job which would be enough to survive on, but she also had the opportunity to follow her dream and travel the world as the face of the biggest companies. Charlie regularly sang her praises for the smart decisions she'd made.

I patted her head lightly. Though I tried not to mess up her hair, she reached up to smooth it out anyway.

As turned for the front door, my name was called again. This time Alice came hurrying down the narrow hall with a pop tart in one hand, and my copy of Romeo and Juliet in the other. She handed me the tattered book and placed the pop tart in my mouth as I quickly shoved the book into my red backpack. Moving backwards now, she appraised me with critical eyes.

"Couldn't you find something even a little bit flattering?" she asked.

I self-consciously shifted my backpack to cover the faded blue jeans and old hoodie I'd thrown on this morning in my rush to get ready. My dark hair was a tangled mess, falling to my waist in multiple knots which would probably break the brush if I tried to get them out.

I removed the pop tart from my mouth, allowing me to reply.

"There's no time now" I sighed "Professor Taylor is expecting me in five minutes and I've got a twenty minute walk ahead of me."

Alice pursed her lips, looking like she wanted to complain some more. Of course there was rarely a day when she didn't have something to say about my poor dress sense.

Working for Alexandra Paolo, the leading fashion designer this season, had allowed her access to all of the upcoming clothing trends. She'd begun her job there as an intern during the summer between graduating high school and beginning our first semester at Brown. She'd intended to study Psychology but when Alexandra herself had seen Alice's unique sense of fashion and her accurate predictions of what styles would be in season, she offered Alice a senior role within the company which couldn't be refused. Alice decided to defer her place at university until her fashion career was no longer snowballing.

While I was ecstatic that Alice was having all her dreams come true, it did make it a little painful to live with her. Not just because of the torture she'd regularly force me to endure when she wanted to dress me up. Both Rose and Alice had their lives mapped out before them; there was no uncertainty that their future would be successful and wonderful.

But me? I wasn't even sure where my life was going. For all I knew, I would spend it as a failed writer, never finding success, never having another person read my work. I wanted to share my best friends' success, and be equal among them, but it just didn't come as easily for me.

With a fleeting smile toward my friends, I dashed out the front door, sure that I was going to be late now.

I would normally never attempt to jog, never mind run anywhere. I had the curse of the uncoordinated which meant that even walking on a flat surface, I could find a way to land on my face. But this was an emergency. Even though the job was basic, I'd had done lot of hard work and even more grovelling for this extra credit job with Professor Taylor. Therefore I couldn't allow myself to screw it up by being late. So I ran as fast as I could across campus, heading for the most direct route to the English building.

Students milling around in small groups glared angrily as I shoved past, some muttering profanities, others shouting them after me. I kept my head down and eyes on my feet to minimise the casualties. It didn't stop me from running head first into someone, tackling us both to the floor.

"S- sorry!" I breathed, having the wind knocked out of me. I quickly tried to gather up his things, a small leather laptop case, and a red Filofax full of notes. I didn't look up, embarrassed by my clumsiness; my cheeks had turned a flaming shade of red.

The man I'd hit seemed to be checking I hadn't damaged his suit. I inwardly cursed myself for being such a klutz. I held out his things, now collected into a neat pile. He put his hands out to take them and our finger tips brushing briefly. The sharp current which shot through my hand shocked me enough to lose grip of his belongings again, and he struggled to keep them from clattering to the floor again.

"Watch where you're going!" he grunted, clearly irritated. Despite its harsh tone, his voice sounded smooth, deep and masculine.

I looked up sharply; ready to bark back a comment about the fall wounding his manners, but stopped dead in my tracks.

The being before me looked closer to an angel than a man, for no human could ever have been so divine. Though we were both crouched over, I could tell that he was a good head taller than me. He wore a grey suit, clearly tailor made for his slim build, with a silver tie over a white shirt. My eyes moved to his face, one so beautiful it would have made even Rosalie appear plain next to it. His jaw was sharp and defined, emphasising his straight nose and perfect lips. His hair was an unusual shade of bronze, which sat in untidy disarray. I finally met his gaze; hostility evident is his striking green eyes.

I realised what I must have looked like, mouth hanging wide open as my eyes roamed every inch of his body, and dropped my gaze to the floor. I cleared my throat and muttered "I said I'm sorry" though it was not nearly as venomous as I'd previously intended my words to be.

I stood up and he seemed to follow my cue, holding out my red backpack which had landed a few feet away. I took it without looking towards the angel in front of me, and stuttered a thank you. Slipping the bag back on, I made a move to step around him. It seemed he'd tried to do the same, and we ended up colliding again. This time his hands grasped my shoulders to steady us both, and my hands instinctively grasped his forearms.

As soon as we were both stable, his hands disappeared from my shoulders, and I removed mine from him too, pushing back a lock of my hair. He gestured his hands forward, prompting me to hurry past him. I did so without daring to look up to see if the hostile look was still in his eyes.

I continued to walk towards the other side of the campus, stumbling once more over a crack in the pavement. I prayed that the angel behind me wasn't still watching. I didn't turn back to check.

* * *

**Once again, thanks for reading everyone. I haven't been able to stop writing since I published the prologue, and although I'm still not sure where this story might go, I'm really excited to find out. I apologise if there are any inaccuracies concerning American spelling/the college system. I'm from the UK so things work a little differently here. I spent a lot of this chapter writing "Mum" before realising that probably wouldn't go down too well. My source of knowledge for anything related to colleges there was a quick google search, so do feel free to correct me if/when I get something wrong.**

**Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to posting more :).  
**


	3. The Mysterious Alumnus

**Chapter 2- The Mysterious Alumnus**

I crashed through Professor Taylor's office door head first.

"Professor… Taylor…" I panted, allowing myself to lean against the small table, which held a number of English text books, and catch my breath. I had sprinted all the way to the English building after my encounter with the angel, trying my best not to think of the humiliation, or the hostile glare he'd given me. "I'm so sorry… I'm… late… there… was an accident…"

Professor Taylor chuckled. "Don't be silly, Miss Swan" he said, moving around his small desk which sat to the left of his small office. "You're perfectly on time."

Confused, I glanced at the small white clock which hung behind the desk. It confirmed that I was over twenty minutes late, but I didn't argue, quickly looking back toward him as to not alert him to his error.

I removed my back pack, dropping it casually beside the chair which sat opposite the desk. When I looked up, Professor Taylor was merely inches away, appraising me thoughfully.

"You look tired, Miss Swan. Were you up all night?" he asked with curiosity, although I sensed something else in his voice, but put it down as purely concern.

I looked down, embarrassed. "Actually, no not really" I replied. "I was having a bit of a hard time writing the Romeo and Juliet paper you set last week. I'm not sure why but I just can't seem to tap myself into Juliet's mind."

"Oh don't worry, Miss Swan. Your work is consistently excellent; one little paper won't affect your grade. Besides, I wouldn't want those dark circles to become permanent on your pretty little face" stepping even closer as he said this.

I cleared my throat and took a step back, uncomfortable by his close proximity.

"No, it's alright, Professor Taylor. I'll have it done tonight."

Professor Taylor sighed, moving back around the desk to assume his position before I had walked in. "Miss Swan, how many times have I asked you to call me James? This is an informal job, and I am not your Professor here."

The discomfort of the conversation caused me to blush. "James," I repeated, "that hardly seems fair if you're going to insist on calling me Miss Swan. Bella, please."

James smiled, appearing please to have broken through some personal wall. "Alright, Bella" he replied, emphasising each syllable.

James Taylor had been my Professor since my very first semester at Brown. At first he'd been dismissive of me, ignoring me in lectures when my hand was raised and constantly marking my work as poor whenever I handed something in. Each paper I wrote, I tried harder and harder, never showing anyone how much stress I was under.

After he'd stated that one particular paper I'd written on The Merchant of Venice was "the ghastliest excuse for writing he had ever had the displeasure of marking," I'd decided that Brown was not the place for me. I'd spent the entire night packing all my belongings and preparing myself for the satisfaction on James' face when I would tell him that I was dropping out. It wasn't like me to give up without a fight, but the way things were going, it was likely that I would have been thrown out soon anyway.

Alice had caught me trying to sneak out in the early morning with my three suitcases. When she demanded that I unpack at once, I broke down and told her and Rosalie everything.

They listened, and when it was over, they offered their help. Alice had dressed me in a pretty ocean blue maxi skirt and a strapless white top, while Rosalie had done my makeup, using soft blue eyeliner to brighten up my chocolate brown eyes. Once they were done, they sent me tottering down to the James' office in the most ridiculous stilettos, and ordered me to flirt my way into asking for advice on how to improve my writing. Admittedly, I'd felt incredibly foolish playing the damsel in distress, twirling my hair and batting my eyelashes as I asked just where I was going wrong

It wasn't my proudest moment, but it certainly changed James' tune. Every paper I'd handed in since contained only positive feedback, with any criticism phrased constructively. In addition, he began offering me extra sessions, first beginning to improve my analysis, then, building upon my creative writing.

I'd liked to believe that after a while, James had stopped helping me because of the way I'd looked that night, and started to see real potential in my abilities. After all, I'd never made an effort to look like that again, and it seemed to me as though James and I had become almost friends since that encounter.

Not that James was so horrible or unattractive that I'd have been completely adverse to the idea of having him interested in me. In fact, most of the girls in my class would have done far more than dress up and flirt for a chance to be in my position. James was young compared to most professors at Brown, probably in his mid-thirties or early forties. He had long sandy hair which he always kept tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Though he wore a suit to work, his manner was casual, tending to take off his blazer, and roll up his sleeves as soon as he got the chance, which revealed his defined biceps. His top shirt buttons were left undone allowing a small amount of blonde chest hair to peek out. He had dark eyes which some would have described as powerful and alluring, but I just found predatory and frankly, quite creepy.

Still, I really did owe my creative writing skills and technique to his masterful guidance and tuition. Putting up with his strange antics was really nothing, after all, since when has an artist ever been normal?

I sat down across from James, in the wide chair which faced James' grand leather office chair.

"You need me to sort your marking today?" I asked, already leaning towards the stack of paper which sat in the middle of his desk. It was rare that I was actually ever needed for anything more than that.

"Actually no," he replied, "I have another job for you." I leaned back, surprised. "The university has an alumnus who is looking to make a rather generous donation to certain departments. Obviously, we're all fighting to get our hands on him, or rather his fortune" James chuckled. "Anyway, we're holding an evening in his honour next week where various departments will try to win him over. I was hoping you'd do the presentation in order to persuade him that his donation is most beneficial to us."

"Err James" I stuttered, already feeling the panic begin to take over, "you know I'm terrible at public speaking. You remember the last time, I fainted in the middle of my Gatsby presentation and that was only to a small number of people. I can't talk to a crowd with that riding on my shoulders too."

"Bella" James sighed. "I wish you would have some confidence in yourself. When you speak about literature, it's hard to miss the sheer passion in your voice. I need something like that to show that this department means a lot to its students. We don't rely on research or discoveries to bring us interest, we need to show that what we do here is just as worthwhile as what any biologist or chemist does. And I think you're our best bet."

I looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. "Mike can do it. He's crazy about your class; he never shuts up about your assignments. I'm sure he'd love the chance to talk about it to your alumnus."

James let out a sly chuckle. "Newton?" he asked incredulously. "Newton hasn't read a single one of the assigned books since the first semester; I doubt he even owns a single Shakespeare script. I think you're mistaking his obsession with literature for his obsession with you."

I raised my eyebrows. Though I didn't want to admit it, James wasn't wrong. Mike seemed annoyingly attached to me since the beginning of our time at Brown. We'd met on my first day as we'd shared James as our English professor. Mike would dutifully sit with me in class, and make sure I was never alone for lunch. At first it was nice to be making new friends, but it didn't take long for him to get on my nerves. After the first week he began to appear at my apartment every morning in order to walk me to lectures. It was only when Rosalie had intimidated him into almost crying that he'd backed off a little. But whenever there was no chance of Rose being around, Mike would make sure he was with me.

When he'd heard of my extra credit job with James, Mike had spent hours first begging James to give him a job too, then asking me to beg on his behalf so that we could hang out all the time. I'd been so relieved when James had threatened to cut Mike's already low credit in half if he didn't quit pestering us both. Mike had backed off about the job after that, but it didn't stop him from trying to catch me after work.

Looking up at James I sighed in defeat, "Oh alright, I'll do it." I knew I was going to regret this, and even worse, James would regret letting me do this. A lot was riding on me staying up right for the duration of the presentation, something I definitely could not guarantee.

James grinned. "Great" he said, standing up from behind his desk. "Let's get to work!"

He walked back around the desk and picked up the other chair beside me easily, lifting it above his head as he moved it over to his side of the desk. He placed it beside his own sleek leather chair then held out the back, waiting for me to take my place there. I smiled slightly at his old fashioned chivalry, a feature he knew I loved from the many time times I'd written that exact gesture into my own literature.

He took his place beside me in his own chair then turned to his desktop, pulling up a PowerPoint presentation with various notes about the English department. We worked for a few hours, trying to elicit the department's best features, while illustrating the features that needed improving as far more important than that of any other department. When it came to the closing words of the presentation, James decided we'd done enough.

"Shouldn't I write something?" I asked.

"No. I think this is something that needs to come directly from you Bella. Don't plan it. Just speak exactly how you feel. That's the only way we can possibly show them that this means far more than anything else. The other departments won't have anything like that."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. There was nothing more powerful than a moment of spontaneous emotion translated into speech; it was almost always the premise on which I wrote my stories.

I stood up, packing the loose notes from today's session into my backpack.

"So, who's this mysterious alumnus anyway?" I asked absently.

"His name's Edward Cullen" James replied, a hint of mockery in his tone. "He was a student here only four years ago, on early admission, _of course. _I think he studied something like economics or whatever, although he seemed to have an innate talent in every subject. Anyway, not long after he graduated, he inherited a big successful business from a deceased uncle or something, along with a _rather sizable fortune_."

I zipped up the bag, curious about James' bitter tone. "Did you meet him while he was here?"

"A couple of times, only briefly. Guy seemed to prefer his own company more than anything else. Didn't stop every woman within a five mile radius from fawning at his feet though." James shook his head, partly in amusement, party in annoyance.

"Oh" was all I could say after that.

As I was leaving, James called after me. "Oh, Bella?"

"Yes?" I replied, leaning partially back in through the doorway.

"Perhaps you might consider wearing that little blue ensemble you wore two years ago to the presentation evening" he said, winking slyly.

I blushed furiously, once again cursing Alice and Rose for the embarrassment that would most likely haunt me until I graduated. I waved once before rushing away from the office, hoping to avoid any further humiliation.

My hopes were quickly dashed when I saw who was waiting for me outside the English building.

"Bella!"

I cringed inwardly as Mike Newton sauntered over from the wooden bench he'd been leaning on, fixing the spikes in his carefully gelled, pale blonde hair. His round baby-face held an impish grin, clearly pleased that he'd waited however long he had for me to leave James' office.

"Hey Mike!" I called brightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just came to see Professor T about the Shakespeare paper we were meant to write. That's due tomorrow, right?" he asked with false curiosity.

"Today" I murmured, hoping he wouldn't ask about mine.

"Really? Oh crap!" his grin didn't falter, despite the nature of his words. "Hey, you don't mind if I look at yours to help me along, I'm a bit stumped at the moment."

_Damnit_.

"Actually, I haven't done it either. I've had a lot going on so…"

"Oh phew, at least I'm not the only one. I really don't get Romeo and Juliet, I mean, nothing they say ever makes sense, and since when was there a potion that could make you look dead. If it exists, why isn't it like the world's greatest prank, y'know?"

I rolled my eyes, fearing that if I spoke I wouldn't be able to stop myself from hurting Mike's feelings. Instead, I decided to continue walking back to my apartment, hoping that Mike would leave me alone.

He didn't. Instead he fell into step beside me.

"I thought you were going to see Professor Taylor?" I asked.

"Nah, I think I'm ok. I'd much rather walk you home" I said, winking in an obvious fashion.

I didn't object, after all, if I ran into that angel, I might need someone to keep me from falling flat on my face again. We continued on our walk across the large university campus, crossing the beautifully well-kept quad. I kept my eyes peeled but couldn't spot him anywhere. Part of me felt overwhelming relief over the fact that I wouldn't have to endure that kind of humiliation again, but another part of me felt a huge amount of disappointment. I'd been working up to seeing those stunning green eyes again since the second I looked away from them.

Mike continued to chat about nonsense, beginning with how much of an ass James was because he'd failed him on some paper, then, moving onto the new football season at Brown. I made an effort to appear mildly interested but made no attempt to backchannel his conversation.

When we reached my apartment, I turned to thank Mike and say goodbye. He looked as if he had other plans in mind.

"Hey, since we haven't done that paper, maybe we could sit down together and work on it. Y'know, so Professor T doesn't fail us both!" he said hopefully.

I bit my lip. "Actually, Mike, I have a lot of work to do. Professor Taylor wants me to speak at a presentation evening next week and I need to prep myself. I'm not great with public speaking, as you know."

"Oh!" Mike appeared to brighten even more. "Maybe I could help you. I used to give speeches at my high school assemblies all the time. My mom always said I have pure charisma that can win over any crowd" he stated proudly.

I choked back the laughter that threatened to escape from me. I couldn't believe Mrs Newton was really that clueless. Mike couldn't even charm a dog into eating a juicy steak. I thought of the only way which was sure to get rid of Mike.

"Erm, well sure. But I think Rosalie is home so if you'd be willing to hang with her…" That got him.

"She is?" he gulped, clearly terrified. I allowed myself a little smug smile, knowing my plan was working. "Well, ok um. Actually, I think I need to see Professor T after all. I need to write this paper or he'll fail me. I'm really sorry, Bella!" he was already backing away, getting ready to leg it. "I'd love to help another time… when you have the place to yourself. Give me a call, I can… bring some of my old speeches" he turned and walked faster than I'd ever seen a normal human being walk.

"Bye Mike!" I called after him, grinning widely to myself.

I unlocked the front door and pushed it open, but was met with resistance. I peeked through the tiny opening between the frame and the door, and saw that the room was flooded with boxes of clothes.

"Alice?!" I yelled.

* * *

**I'm quite enjoying this actually. There's so many ways this story could go, all the prospects in my head are starting to get interesting. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll aim to have another up next week :). Thanks for reading.**


	4. The Unlikely Proposal

**Chapter 3- The Unlikely Proposal**

I took off my backpack and placed it at my feet, kicking it into the apartment. Shoving roughly, I inched the door open slowly, first putting my head and left arm through the gap, then pulling the rest of my body in after me. I surveyed the hallway, looking for the easiest path to move through the boxes of clothes. I decided the path around was my safest bet, treading carefully over each box in order to avoid a severe yelling at from Alice if I touched anything. I made it about halfway before I lost my balance and toppled over, crushing one of the larger boxes. I shifted quickly, aiming to salvage whatever garments I could from the crushed pile, when I picked up a familiar blue blouse.

Alice came rushing into view. "Oh, you're back! Don't mind any of this, I had hoped to have it all shifted before you and Rose got home."

"Alice? What the hell is this?" I asked, holding the blue blouse up in front of me for her to see.

"I'm just clearing out some wardrobe space for some more in style stuff" she said, nonchalantly.

"This is my shirt!" I cried, looking around and spotting more clothing items I recognised. "Why are you taking _my_ clothes?"

Alice rolled her eyes as though I were a child throwing a temper tantrum, "Because, _silly, _it's hardly like _my_ wardrobe needs updating."

I stood up, waving the shirt in front of Alice's face. "You can't just take other people's things Alice! I like my clothes."

"That's because you don't know any better, Bella" she replied calmly, taking the shirt from me and throwing it into another intact box, "you'll be thankful for this later."

She picked up the closest box to her and made a move towards the door. I stepped sideways to block her path

"Oh no you don't, put those back where you find them. Now."

"Bella, be reasonable. Most of the clothes here you've had since high school. While it's fantastic that you've managed to keep your figure, it's time for an update" she replied, making an attempt for the door again.

I stepped in her path once more, placing my hands on my hips.

"And what if I don't want an update, Alice? What if I'm happy as I am?" I made a grab for the box, but Alice danced lithely out of my reach without even touching any of the other boxes at her feet.

"Well, that's too bad, cause you're getting one." Alice continued toward the door.

I defiantly picked up another of the boxes and stumbled over the others towards my room.

"Oh no, you don't!" Alice yelled, dropping her box on the spot and grabbing mine.

"Let go, Alice! You can't win!" I grunted, pulling as hard as I could to remove the box from her grasp.

"Bella, you're being ridiculous! Let… go…" she yanked with all the might her tiny body could muster until the cardboard handle ripped, causing us both to fly backwards. She landed comfortably among the piles of clothes which now scattered the floor, while I crashed noisily into the hall table, knocking the wind out of me.

Just then, Rosalie stepped through the small crack in the door, holding the bronze handle in order to keep her balance in her six inch boots, clearly a purchase for the benefit of her All Saints audition.

"Oh my god! Have we been robbed?" she cried, hurriedly reaching inside her small black clutch purse for her phone.

"No" I groaned, rubbing my right side which had hit the table. I could already feel the monstrous bruise that was forming there.

Rose clambered her way across the room, kicking boxes out of the way as she went, and held out a hand to pull me up. Alice was already on her feet, skipping around the room to tidy her mess. She threw all the loose clothes into one box near the door. When I was safely on my feet, Rose once again appraised the mess in the hall.

"What happened?" she asked seriously.

"Bella was being stubborn" Alice complained, folding up one of my favourite red t-shirts and dropping it into the closest box which held all my pairs of faded blue jeans.

Rose chuckled, "When isn't she?"

My chin jutted out as I defended myself. "Alice's evil schemes to reinvent my wardrobe have risen to a whole new level. She tried to throw out everything I own!"

"Not everything!" she denied, "just everything I didn't buy you."

I huffed, picking up a scruffy grey sweater which belonged to my mom. She'd rarely worn it, saving it for the rare occasions when she'd come to visit me in Forks and had to endure Washington's typical rainy weather. Once I'd moved to college, she'd had no use for it anymore, and given it to me. I folded the sweater over my arm and began to move through the room picking up the rest of my clothes, not daring to put anything in any boxes for fear that Alice would sneak them out of the apartment when I wasn't looking. Rose followed my lead.

"Knock knock" called a smooth voice.

Alice squealed, dropping all the clothes she'd been gathering and raced to swing open the front door. I sighed, rolling my eyes as I went to retrieve them. There behind the door stood Jasper Hale, leaning casually against the top of the door frame. Jasper was Rosalie's twin brother, who also attended Brown to study American History. Jasper and Rosalie looked a lot alike. He shared her ocean blue eyes and stunning gold hair, although his was cut short and lacked the orderly attention Rose put into hers each day. Despite this, he was still extremely attractive, also inheriting the Hale supermodel good looks gene. He was slightly taller than Rose, and lean. He always appeared smart and in order, most likely as a result of Alice's obsession to control his wardrobe like everyone else's. Unlike everyone else though, Jasper didn't mind this one bit.

He bent low to place a kiss on Alice on the lips. The kiss began as a casual peck, but rapidly shifted to a full on make out session right then and there.

"Enough with the P.D.A" Rose grumbled. I glanced over at her in sympathy. Rose and I were used to this kind of behaviour from the pair, but it didn't make it any less irritating. Although I had no siblings of my own, I could understand why Rose might find it a little strange and annoying to have her best friend and twin brother all over each other at every chance they could get, company or not. Rose was a huge supporter of Alice and Jasper's relationship, even being the one to suggest they go to prom together in junior year, which was the beginning of their romance, but I don't think even she could stomach these kind of displays.

"Okay guys, get a room!" I laughed, throwing one of the shirts in my hand at their heads.

Alice pulled it off and scowled at me, but Jasper took it from her with a low chuckle, handing it back. I took it gratefully, knowing that if Alice kept her hands on it I would never see it again. He turned back to Alice, touching foreheads with her so that they could communicate silently. The downgrading of raunchiness seemed to satisfy Rose as she returned to collecting the shirts; however I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as I saw just how devoted Jasper and Alice were to each other.

Jasper knew Alice better than anyone else, and he loved every part of her. Even her manic, controlling side which drove the rest of us up the wall. He kept her grounded, and would have done anything to make her happy. In a way it reminded me of how Phil kept my mom from hurting herself with one of her daft ideas, but with Alice and Jasper it was different. Just looking into their eyes now, you could see that he would go to the ends of the earth to keep Alice safe. And Alice had saved Jasper too. Before they'd met, Jasper had been involved with some bad people who had led him down a dark path. But she, with all her light and hope, had brought him back and shown him a future beyond all the misery and pain. It was a once in a lifetime love. Soul mates bound for each other. And so, although I was a mostly realistic person, with my love of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, how could I not be a hopeless romantic? I wanted a love like that so much. But I knew better than to believe that I would ever be so lucky.

Jasper turned to face us, finally taking in the state of the room. He let out a swooping whistle.

"Alice, what did you do?" he asked, hardly astonished by the devastation his girlfriend's fashion obsession had left its wake. Alice slapped him hard over the back of his head, causing him to rub the sore spot.

"I'm giving Bella the wardrobe makeover she's so desperately in need of" she replied brightly.

"No, she's not" I corrected, grabbing one of the boxes and heading towards my room. Rose held the door open for me, and I squeezed past the narrow gap and dumped the box in the middle of my bed. Jasper followed us in, carrying two of the boxes stacked upon each other while Alice clawed at his arm whining about how I needed to learn that what I want isn't always what's best for me. Jasper caught my eye and winked as I mouthed a pronounced thank you.

With Jasper's help, it didn't take long to move everything back, although my room was far smaller than the hallway, leaving next to no room to move around once in there.

"Right," Jasper grinned, turning to Alice, "you ready to go?"

"Yep, just give me a second" she replied, dancing out of the room to grab her bag and her coat. Rose and I slumped on the floor, crushing numerous boxes of clothing on the way.

"So what crazy expensive outing are you spending our parent's money on today, Jasper?" Rosalie teased.

Jasper glared at her jokingly, "Actually I was thinking about taking her for a stroll around the park, maybe sharing a hot dog by the lake, keeping it simple, y'know?" he shrugged.

Rosalie gasped dramatically, "What are you thinking? Are you trying to make her break up with you? You know how Alice loves the finer things in life." Of course Rose was joking, since we both knew that Alice would have happily spent her Friday evenings in a sewer so long as she were with Jasper. But it was still highly unusual for Jasper not to take Alice out on an intricate date planned three weeks in advance with only the finest of food and activities. Which must mean that he was up to something…?

"Oh my god!" I cried, grabbing Rose's arm excitedly, "He's going to propose!"

Jasper clamped his hand over my mouth before I could say another word, staring at the door in anticipation of Alice's reaction to the news. After a lengthy period of time, Jasper seemed content that Alice had not heard my exclamation, and removed his hand.

"Sorry!" I whispered, but threw my arms around his neck while he was still bent to my level.

"Hey hey hey!" Rose interrupted. "He's _my_ brother; I should be the first to congratulate him!"

Jasper stood back, running a hand through his blonde hair in embarrassment. "She hasn't even said yes yet" he murmured.

"But she will," I reassured. "If there's there one thing Alice loves more than big romantic gestures, it's the intimacy of the small ones."

"Are we talking about you or Alice?" Rose snorted. I shoved her playfully, giving her my best scowl.

Before I asked anymore about how Jasper planned to pop the question, Alice appeared at the doorway in a completely new outfit. She now wore a cute black dressed that hugged her slight figure, coupled with black tights and a pair of stunning red stilettos which added an extra six inches to her height. She'd tied a red ribbon into her pixie-like hair, and a teal raincoat hung over her arms along with a small red purse. She looked curiously at us.

"What're you whispering about?" she enquired.

"Nothing" we all answered at the same time. Alice's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Jasper cleared his throat, "Ready?" he asked. Alice nodded and turned back out of the room for the front door. Jasper turned and gave us a quick salute before following her out.

"Good luck!" we whispered after him. The second we heard the door slam, we jumped up, squealing in delight and hugging each other.

"I can't believe this!" Rose sang, "Alice is going to be my sister in law!"

"She'll love that!" I laughed. In truth, Rose and I sometimes worried about Alice.

Although she was one of the kindest and most loving people in the world, Alice had grown up without a family to be a part of. Her mother and father had abandoned her at birth, and she'd spent her life being shifted between various foster homes. At sixteen, she became legally emancipated and so moved to Fork to complete her high school education. Shortly after I met her, Charlie, being the Chief, had discovered her background, and without a second thought, invited her to live with us until we moved to college. Since then we'd treated each other as sisters. Alice never showed any sign of bitterness towards her parents or her past, but she had once confided in me that the one thing she desperately wanted was to be part of a family. Although I'd told her she would always be a part of mine, it didn't seem like enough.

But this meant that Alice would really belong to a family. She would be a Hale. Rose and Jasper's parents already loved Alice like a daughter. It was everything she'd ever wanted and deserved. It was perfect.

Rose and I didn't bother to unpack the piles of clothes, instead shoving all the boxes into a corner for another day. We opened a bottle of red wine and curled up on the large beige couch in the living room, talking about the old days. It seemed that Alice growing up had made us all nostalgic.

"Remember that British guy you used to date? What was his name again?"

Rose downed the last of her second glass in one go before answering. "Alistair?" she asked, making a face.

I nodded, grabbing the bottle to top myself up. Rose held out her empty round wine glass expectantly and I refilled it almost to the top. "What was his deal? He always seemed sort of… moody" I stated.

Rose mm'ed as she took another swig of wine. "He didn't seem too interested in me. He liked to come and hang out at my house, but only with my family. I used to think it was just an excuse for him to get closer to Alice, since she was my best friend and she was always there. It took me a while to figure out that it was actually Jasper he was after."

I snorted, splashing a little bit of wine onto my grey sweat pants. "He's _gay_?! Wow, I never knew" I sighed, shaking my head incredulously before taking my own swig of wine.

Rose giggled. "I don't know what made me go for him anyway. We had nothing in common, although he was quite good in bed" she winked.

"Oh, gross Rose!" I moaned, "Is there anyone you wouldn't sleep with?"

"C'mon Bella, don't judge! It's not like there was much better in Forks. D'you remember your first boyfriend?"

I cringed. I didn't like thinking about my relationship with Jacob Black during my final year at high school. "Don't remind me," I grumbled.

"Exactly."

We drank in silence for a few minutes before Rose huffed.

"Ok, I'm sorry, Bella, that was a low blow. I know Jake's still a bit of a sore subject for you."

I patted her knee in reply. "S'okay," I sighed, "we just weren't in the right place."

Rose sat up straight, shifting to face me directly with her eyes full of concern. "But seriously, Bella. It's been three years since that ended. Have you even been out with a guy since we started college?"

Although her words were not meant harshly, they still stung. I couldn't look her in the eyes as I answered, instead staring at the small red stain on my sweat-pants. "Mike takes me out all the time" I muttered.

"Bella, you don't even like that moron" she replied. She'd said it nicely but I could hear a hint of amusement in her words. I decided it wasn't worth being angry about, instead joining her in her quiet laughter.

I recounted to her how he'd run faster than a gazelle being chased by a hungry lion when he'd heard that she was home. Before we knew it, the atmosphere was light and fun again. We'd finished the bottle of wine and were both witless with laughter as Rose was telling me about her most recent disaster of a date which had involved the guy, Alec, bringing his twin sister, Jane, in the hope of having some sort of twin double date with her and Jasper, when we heard the front door slam loudly.

We both jumped up, grasping each other to keep our balance. We were prepared to bounce on Alice so she could join the club of glee with her news. We stopped short when it wasn't Alice who walked through the archway.

Jasper stood there, looking broken and defeated as he clutched onto the small red purse Alice had taken with her. There was a clear agony in his eyes, which instantly sobered Rose and me up as we rushed to his side.

"Jasper, what happened?" Rose cried, while at the same time I asked "Where's Alice?"

Jasper looked at me, surprised. "She's not here?" he croaked. His voice sounded raw, like he'd been shouting endlessly for hours, and possibly crying too.

Rose led him to the couch and sat on the floor by his knees, taking Alice's purse and placing it on the large coffee table. I stood across the room, not sure what to do.

"Jasper, tell me everything" Rose prompted.

"Alice and I, we were talking about the future, saying where we might go after this, what we might do… I couldn't wait any longer, so I asked her. I pulled out the ring, got down on one knee and asked her to make me the happiest man in the world. It was perfect. It felt perfect."

"Then what happened?" Rose asked urgently.

"She said no," his voice broke. "She said she couldn't do this, that she wouldn't do this to me. Then she ran away. I don't know what I did wrong. She even left her purse. I thought I should come and return it since she left her keys in there. She didn't come back?" he questioned, fear now overtaking his misery.

"Does she have her cell?" I asked, pulling mine out and dialling Alice's number. Jasper didn't need to answer, her ringtone sounded from inside the purse. "Dammit Alice" I cursed quietly.

I strode into the hall, slipped on my old converse and grabbed my brown coat as I made for the door.

"Bella, where are you going?" Rosalie called after me.

"To find Alice, we can't just leave her out there on her own."

I heard Rose push herself off from the living room floor and follow me into the hall. She slipped on her own pair of boots and grabbed her grey faux fur coat and clutch from the hall table. We didn't speak as we raced out into the night in search for Alice. It was unseasonably cold for early May, and I shivered, hugging my coat tighter around me as I squinted into the darkness.

Jasper was last to leave the apartment, shutting the door behind him. I turned back to him.

"Jasper, you should stay here in case she comes back."

Jasper shook his head. "I left a note on the door saying to go to Kate's and calls us from there if she comes back. We'll cover more ground with the three of us," he still looked distraught but he'd put his own misery aside to focus on his mission. Nothing mattered to him but Alice's safety now.

We organised a plan of attack, separating the areas of town into thirds and splitting them equally between us.

"If we hear nothing in an hour, meet back at the apartment" Rose said, taking the role of authority in our search party. Jasper and I nodded in agreement, and without another word, began our search for Alice.

* * *

**I know we're having a bit of a slow start to the story, I really want to set up a background so we get a real idea of Bella's life at the moment before I properly introduce our wonderful alumnus, Mr. Edward Cullen. There's a lot ahead for these two so let's enjoy this easy world of Bella's before the entropy increases (I'm currently studying for a very big Chemistry exam, forgive me for dropping in terms every now and then.) Which brings me to my next point. I have exams from the 16th of Jan-22nd of Jan which are a very big deal for me. While I'd like to promise that I'll have a new chapter out every week, my priority lies in my studies so please try not to be too impatient if I miss a week or two of publishing. Regular updates will resume as normal after that. Once again, thanks for reading :).**


	5. The Despairing Promotion

**Chapter 4- The Despairing Promotion**

"Alice!" I called once more. My voice was hoarse from shouting that single name, and could no longer carry over the roaring winds.

The weather had turned ferocious very quickly after we'd left the apartment. I was wearing little more than my brown fleece jacket over a white t-shirt and my holey grey sweatpants which were now completely soaked through. Rain was spitting down harshly from every direction and I struggled to blink through it. It had been nearly an hour since Jasper, Rose and I had set out in search for Alice. The uncertainty and fear was what kept me from turning back and snuggling up in our warm apartment to wait for her to return. Each passing minute I became more and more concerned for my best friend.

Her reaction made absolutely no sense. Alice was hopelessly in love with Jasper, there was no doubt that she wanted to marry him. She'd even collected a secret stash of wedding magazines in preparation for the occasion. She was determined to have the biggest wedding there has ever been. So why did she say no?

I finally made it to a campus bar, the furthest one from our apartment. I pushed open the old creaky door. The bar had a sort of rustic feel. Every wall, floor, and piece of furniture was made of wood and stuffed animal heads hung all around. All the lights seemed to have been turned down so only a faint yellowish glow from each one made it possible to see. The place was completely deserted, save for the one lone man who stood behind the bar with a grey dishrag, drying the glasses from tonight's customers I assumed.

Though the place had a sort of naturedly feel which some would have found comforting and maybe even adventurous, I was sure, with this kind of décor, this was the last place Alice would have been seen. Regardless, I was desperate, so I strode up to the bar. The wood seemed to be rotting, probably from the number of drinks which had been spilt upon it. I was careful to lean only upon the sleeves on my jacket without allowing my skin to touch any part of the wood, as I cleared my throat to catch the attention of the barman.

The barman looked up, surprised. "Sorry, lady, we're closed" he stated, placing the dry glass top down onto the rotting wood. I made a mental note never to drink in here.

"Actually, I was wondering if you've seen a young woman in here at all. About 4'10", short, spiky black hair, wearing a teal coat?" I asked hopefully.

The barman snorted, "Sorry, you won't find anyone like that in here."

I nodded, just as I'd expected. I stepped away from the bar, mumbling a "thanks anyway" as I prepared to leave, when the clicking of stilettos sounded behind me. I turned quickly, relief washing through me, which rapidly shifted back to disappointment.

The woman, who had just walked in, stopped dead in her tracks, looking at me with rude judgement. She took in my soaked appearance, her eyes moving distastefully from my wet hair to my soggy sweat-pants. She had long mahogany hair which curled just below her shoulders. Her short red body-dress revealed a large amount of cleavage, and she stood in knee high patent boots. Overall I would have compared her to a street-walker. She was quickly satisfied that I was no threat to her beauty, and smirked with her blood red lips.

"Who's this, Felix?" she asked, not shifting her amused gaze away from me.

"Some girl looking for a friend" Felix shrugged, picking up another glass to dry.

The woman's smirk widened, "Ever heard of EBay, sweetie?" she purred cruelly.

My eyes narrowed at her bad joke. "Why? Is that where Felix bought you?"

I heard a glass smash behind me and assumed that I'd made Felix mad, but the following sound included a deep, throaty guffaw. Now it was my turn to smirk as mahogany's glare alternated between me and Felix.

"Felix!" she whined, "aren't you going to defend me?"

It took a moment for Felix to compose himself before he could answer. "Dressed like that Heidi, you were asking for it."

The look on Heidi's face was absolutely priceless as she sputtered for a good comeback. I decided it was time to take my leave, and walked back towards the door. Before exiting, I looked back to see if Heidi had recovered, and saw her leaning over the bar to whack Felix with her bag.

_Her bag._

I knew that design. That was an Alexandra Paolo design. I remembered Alice bringing home ten of them before they'd gone on sale two years ago and insisted that we take them everywhere. She'd donated them all to charity when they'd gone out of fashion.

Of course! How stupid of Rose, Jasper and me not to have thought of this before. The one place Alice felt more at home than our own apartment was her work. She surely would have found comfort in the masses of clothes and shoes that surrounded her there. Alice's office was over a 45 minutes' drive away, it didn't occur to us that she would have even tried to go there. But now, thinking about her state of mind, the only place she could escape from this situation was at the one place where her world was truly alive. And so, with that, I raced back towards my apartment, paying no attention to the rain or wind that fought me now. I had to pick myself up off the ground many times as I skidded along the muddy grass and slippery concrete paths.

I finally made it to my rusty red truck, throwing myself into the driver's seat and fumbled to get the keys into the ignition with my icy, numb hands. My truck roared to life and I slammed my foot down on the accelerator. Though she groaned in protest, my truck jolted forwards and begun the very slow climb to her maximum speed of 60.

The truck felt as though she were crawling along the highway as I leaned forward against the wheel, impatient to reach Alice. I struggled to see through the stormy weather, my headlights only showing me little more than a few feet ahead of me. Under normal circumstances, I would have been hesitant to drive in this weather, but I was desperate to make sure that Alice was okay, no matter what.

After almost an hour of driving, I finally turned into the parking lot of Alice's office. The building was grand, reaching higher than any other building in the area. 'Paolo' stood in bold silver letters above the automatic doors into the main lobby. I knew they wouldn't be open at this time, so I drove around to the back entrance, hoping that it would be unlocked. I quickly turned my truck off and stuffed the keys in my pocket, not bothering to lock the door behind me. I tentatively pushed the back door, and with relief, found it open. I rushed through to the main lobby, hoping Alice had disabled the silent alarms when she'd arrived. I climbed over the glass gate which was clearly labelled 'Employees Only' and crossed to the elevator.

I pressed the button multiple times as I watched it crawl from the fifth floor down to ground. My hopes rose even more as I remembered that the fifth floor was the wardrobe, sure that would be the most likely place to find Alice. Once the lift arrived I almost fell in with my impatience, and whacked the 'Floor 5' button with my fist. My severe movements seemed to do nothing to the slow speed of the lift, and I began to feel very helpless. The second it opened, I shot straight out into the floor of nothing but clothes, shoes and handbags.

This would normally have been my personal hell, but right now all that mattered to me was making sure Alice was ok, and getting to the root of why she refused Jasper.

"Alice?" I called out. The wardrobe floor seemed cavernous in the night. The one and only time I'd been in here before, it was full of models, make-up artists, hair stylists, PAs and everyone who I would never fit among. The horrified stares my jeans and hoodie had elicited were enough reason for me to never want to return.

But now it was empty, I longed for the liveliness that it had held before. Behind over a dozen misted glass doors, racks and racks of clothes hung in a system that only an employee at the Paolo office would know how to navigate. Now, save for only a few emergency power lights, the place was completely blacked out. I began to move roam the floor in search for some sign that Alice was here. As I walked, my damp converses squelched against the laminate flooring. I hoped I wouldn't leave a mess behind.

Just as I was close to being sure my intuition had been wrong, I came across a particular glass door that appeared slightly ajar, barely noticeable in the dim light. I slid the door open slightly further, but could see nothing in the wardrobe. I was about to turn back when a high, timid voice whispered.

"Bella?"

"Alice" I sighed, falling to my knees in relief. I crawled with my arms outreached until my hands entwined with hers. I pulled her into my arms, resting her head upon my shoulder as I she cried, my own heart aching as I wondered about what pain had caused Alice, who was always so happy and bubbly, to feel so much misery. After some time, her sobs turned to breathy whimpers. I pulled her away, placing my hands on her shoulders and aiming to look her in the eye, although I could not see her.

"Alice, I need to call Rose and Jasper. They're worried sick-"

"Please, don't tell them where I am. Jasper can't see this" she begged, clinging to my forearms.

"I won't," I tried to calm her. "I just need to tell them you're ok, and they should go home and rest." Alice's grip loosened, and she pulled back, allowing me to return to the passage outside the individual wardrobes. I slid the doors closed softly.

I pulled out my cell and quickly dialled Rose. She answered after only one ring.

"Bella? Tell me you have good news" she ordered in an urgent voice. I felt guilty for not calling her the minute I'd realised where Alice was, having been too preoccupied in verifying the fact for myself. I couldn't hear any sounds of wind in the background, so I assumed she and Jasper had returned to the apartment to wait for Alice there. At least they weren't out in the storm any more.

"I found her," I replied. "I think she's ok physically, but she's a bit of a mess."

"Where is she? Let me speak to her" Rose demanded.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Rose. She needs time. I don't know what happened but I think right now it would be best if you and Jasper kept away until she can process whatever it is."

I could hear Rose clucking her tongue in the way I knew she did when she disagreed with someone's judgement, but she chose not to voice her opinion. Instead she answered "Okay," before hanging up.

I sighed. Rose would undoubtedly pull the protective sister act up against Alice for hurting Jasper. Of course, I couldn't understand why Alice had reacted this way to Jasper's proposal, but I knew her well enough to understand that it was about far more than simply her not wanting to marry Jasper.

I inched back into the wardrobe, leaving the gap between the doors open. I could see Alice now. She'd placed a pair of bright circular lights on the ground. They under lit her, casting unnatural shadows across her face. It was streaked with tears and make-up, although it seemed she had missed the brunt of the storm, looking only a little rained on.

"Alice, how did you get here?" I asked, beginning with the easiest question.

"Taxi," she croaked, "Kate keeps a stash of extra cash in her desk. I'll replace it tomorrow."

I nodded, settling myself next to her. I steeled myself for the following question. "Alice," I began hesitantly.

She shrunk back into the clothes that were hung above her heads, almost as if she were trying to hide herself from me, from the world. She knew what I was about to ask.

"I can't, Bella," she whispered, "I can't marry him, not now."

"Why?" I probed, taking her hand in mine.

Alice paused for a moment, looking around the wardrobe we were in as an attempt to stall. I took the opportunity to quickly to glance too, realising we were in a room of coats and jackets. Most of them were wildly flamboyant, but a few seemed like they might suit me. I turned back to Alice, ready for an answer. She looked past me, at the door.

"I've been working here for nearly three years," she began. "Next to Jasper, there's nothing I've ever wanted more than to have my career take off."

She turned her eyes to mine, holding my gaze. "Alexandra's offered me a promotion, a big one, which could take me absolutely everywhere I've ever dreamed of. I could really become someone in the industry with this. It's the best opportunity I could have ever hoped for."

"Well, that's great Alice. Congratulations" I replied, thinking she was still stalling.

Alice sighed as though I were missing a huge point. "The job's in London, Bella."

I stared at her, not comprehending what this meant. "You're… moving to London?"

She shook her head, "I don't know" she groaned, planting her face in her palms. "I don't know what to do. This kind of opportunity is once in a life time. I'd be in charge of the entire Paolo trading in Europe, I'd essentially be Alexandra's partner, I'd even get to design my own things, have my own sub-brand" she looked up at me with desperate eyes, as what she was saying began to sink in.

"But, Jasper…"

Jasper had already set up his own future here in the area. He'd already sacrificed so many opportunities to remain close to Alice, and now she was choosing to pursue the biggest opportunity she had ever received at the expense of her relationship. She couldn't ask Jasper to drop everything for her, when he'd already done so many times before.

"This isn't the way Alice," I uttered, "You can't leave him because of this. You know what he'll become if he doesn't have you." She cringed at my words. "You have to speak to him. He's going out of his mind wondering what he's done wrong. Maybe if you talk it through, you can come to a compromise that works for both of you."

Alice shook her head, "I can't turn this down, Bella. But if I were faced with the prospect of losing him when he's here with me, then I know I would without thinking about it. It's irrational, and stupid-"

"It's love" I corrected.

Alice took a deep breath. "I will not be the girl who chooses a man over everything else. But I also won't force someone I love to give up everything for me to pursue my dream while his lies dead at the bottom of a pit. At either end of the spectrum, there will only be bitterness and regret, and in the end, that will ruin us. I can't-" she broke off, sobbing.

I pulled her into my arms again, rocking her gently.

We must have sat there together for a few hours, although I didn't bring up her promotion again. I did my best to take her mind of it, even daring to bring up the presentation evening next week despite knowing how Alice would react.

"You have to let me choose an outfit for you. I'm thinking blue, not too dark. Maybe cross-back? Sophisticated but not too formal." I was glad to see her smiling again, although I knew I'd regret it next week.

"Actually, I was thinking that blue top and skirt you put me in when I went to beg James- I mean, Professor Taylor to review my work."

She raised her eyebrows, "That outfit was thrown together when we had little to work with. Most of it belonged to Rosalie, it's not your style at all. There's something far purer about your beauty, Bella, and now that we have time to work, I can definitely pull together an outfit that compliments you perfectly" she grinned to herself as the image formed in her mind.

I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but I decided to keep my mouth shut.

She continued rambling on about all the different dresses she was going to buy me to try on, when suddenly she went silent, a sad look crossing her face.

"That's why I was fixing your wardrobe," she muttered. "I don't want you to be in a situation where you don't have anything to wear to these things when I'm in London. You're a wonderful writer, Bella, and you'll have hundreds of events where you need to present yourself well. I couldn't let you be stuck."

I leaned back against the warm winter coats, "Alice, are you really thinking clearly? I know you don't want to be _that _kind of girl, but you and Jasper are stronger than any relationship a girl like that could have. You could do long distance or-"

"No" she stated. "I know he will drop everything for me, halt his life if he has to. But I can't let him. He has to be set free in order for him to move on."

I snorted quietly, "Alice, I know you don't believe in the whole 'if you love something, set it free' notion."

She chuckled lightly with me. "No, I don't. But what would you have me do, Bella? If it were you? What would you do?"

That had me stumped. I didn't think I really understood love enough to say what choice would be right. Instead we lapsed back into silence.

A few more minutes passed.

"It's almost dawn. We should probably head home."

Alice nodded, though she looked scared of what may follow. I squeezed her hand, reassuringly. "I'm here, Alice. Don't worry."

We helped each other up. Alice packed up the circular lights and replaced them into one of the big fur coat's pockets. I looked at her questioningly.

"I'm not the only one who comes in here for mental breakdowns" she grinned.

I laughed quietly with her as we made our way back towards the elevator with linked arms. As I pressed the button, Alice suddenly pulled away.

"Wait a second" she said, before disappearing into one of the other wardrobes. She flicked on the light as she went, and I noticed a number of semi-formal party dresses hanging towards the front. When she returned, she was holding a stunning blue dress, which V-d slightly at the front, and frilled all around the bottom. She handed it to me before disappearing into another wardrobe, this time she brought with her a pair of black ankle boots which studded around the sole. They had a slight heel on them, though it was wedged so I felt a little safer than I would have done in any other shoes Alice might have given me. She piled them into my arm. Seeming satisfied, we departed for home.

What had I got myself into?

* * *

**I really need to think of more imaginative chapter titles. Anyway, not a lot happening in this chapter, it was just starting to get a little long so instead of continuing on to the next events, I figured I'd save it for next chapter. And yes, Bella will finally officially meet Edward at the Alumnus presentational evening. Of course, she doesn't know that yet ;). Thanks for reading, and have a Merry Christmas!**


	6. The Angel Returns

**Chapter 5- The Angel Returns**

Alice pulled the last of the curlers from my hair, letting the pretty ringlet fall in its place among the others. She grinned triumphantly.

"There, almost done," she sang before dancing off into Rosalie's room to pick up something.

"Almost?!" I gasped, incredulously. I'd let Alice have her fun with me for hours, starting with making me sit with a head full of curlers, letting her do my makeup into an elegant and sophisticated smoky look which left me looking far more like a glamour model than myself. I'd tried to argue with Alice over the frilled blue dress, claiming it was far too short, reaching only slightly past my thigh, but Alice wasn't having any of it. I had to admit though, it was the happiest I'd seen Alice since she'd declined Jasper's proposal.

It had been over a week since I'd found her hiding in that wardrobe. Since then she'd done nothing but work on her designs in order to take her mind off the whole fiasco, and most likely to remind herself of what she was giving everything up for. But even her work wasn't bringing her joy anymore. At night I could hear her pacing around her room in agitation. I'd often walk in on her sat in the living room; hunched over with her fingers to her temple as if she were seeking an outcome where she could have everything she wanted. I knew the only way she would find that would be by talking to Jasper, but she had refused.

Rosalie had been less than supportive towards Alice and her dilemma. At the beginning she would constantly yell while Alice huddled up on the sofa trying to block out the harsh words Rose was flinging at her. She'd shout for hours about how Alice's selfishness was going land Jasper right back at the bottom of a ditch, maybe even dead this time. I knew that Jasper had grown up since his dodgy high school years, but I had to admit the fear of this fate was still within me, and clearly it was still within Alice too. Alice flinched at every reminder of the state Jasper had been in before they had met, but her decision had not changed. She had to go, and she couldn't take Jasper with her.

After Rose had realised that Alice wasn't going to change her mind, she'd decided to move in with Jasper and his roommate, Ben, only returning occasionally to pick up fresh clothes or books. She had abided by Alice's wish to keep the knowledge of her promotion from Jasper until Alice had sorted everything out. I knew that this couldn't go on forever, but I planned to wait at least until Alice had had a reasonable amount of time to have some sense knocked into her before going to Jasper and telling him myself.

Alice returned with a large can of hairspray and began spraying it excessively over my hair. I'd sat still and closed my eyes when told to, aiming to keep the prolonging of torture to a minimum. Once she'd finished, Alice stood back, admiring her masterpiece.

"Ok," she squealed, "come take a look."

I got up from the antique chair in front of her grand vanity, and stood before the large floor-length mirror in her room. The sight which greeted me was beyond anything I had ever expected. Alice had transformed me. I took in every detail, my deep brown hair which now fell in intricate ringlets down to my waste, my smoky eyes which screamed mystery and even a hint of seductiveness, my lips which wore only a hint of rose lip-butter, the blue dress which hugged my body perfectly, the long slender legs which the blue frills from my dress revealed to a perfect extent, and the black, wedge ankle boots which created an edginess to the otherwise exceptionally feminine outfit. I was surprised to find I could almost walk in them with ease. I didn't look like me anymore.

"What do you think?" Alice asked, expectantly.

"Alice, you're incredible," I whispered. Her grin widened.

I turned to her and hugged her tightly. She giggled, "Glad you like it, but all of this can only enhance what's already there." I pulled back, smiling at her kind words. I picked up the black clutch from her bed, something we'd borrowed from Rose since it was simple, stylish and practical. It held only my phone, money for drinks and the USB stick with the presentation. Everything I would need for tonight.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was in for tonight. Public speaking really wasn't my forte. James and I had been practising every day after class this week, but each time I'd found myself mumbling or stuttering or even getting a bit light headed. And this was only with James in the room. I wished I had backed out, but there was no way I could let have let James down. He had so much faith in me, faith I had been striving for since the very moment I set foot in his class. Admittedly, part of me feared he would return to treating me like hopeless case as he used to.

Alice placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's going to be fine Bella. You can do this."

I nodded, not even a tiny bit convinced, but gave her a reassured smile. I pulled on the black raincoat Alice had chosen for me, another of Rosalie's I presumed. Alice pecked each of my cheeks lightly before wishing me good luck. I stepped out of the apartment, heading for the stairwell just around the corner.

"Bella wait" Alice called after me. It echoed around the halls. I turned back, leaning against the stair bannister. She hurried up to me, holding a cream envelope. I took it curiously, turning it over in my hands.

"Can you ask Rose to give that to Jasper please?" she asked, that sad look from last week returning to her eyes.

"Of course," I said, slipping the envelope into my clutch bag smoothly. As soon as it disappeared she became visibly happier, even nearly skipping back to our apartment.

"Bye," she called over her shoulder, before slamming the door shut behind after her. Seconds later I heard _Fun's_ 'We Are Young' blasting from our apartment, which caused some angry shouts from our neighbours. Naturally, Alice ignored every one of them. I chuckled lightly and continued down towards the parking lot, sliding easily into my truck. She roared to life, startling a passer-by. My cheeks flamed as I pulled out, heading towards the hotel the presentation evening was being held at.

Providence Court Hotel was the nicest, not to mention most expensive, hotel in the area. It was only ten minutes away from my apartment, hiding snugly in a grove near the edge of Providence. I'd never been there before, nor had anyone I knew. The price was far beyond anything anyone I knew could afford. It was there for only the wealthiest and privileged visitors of Providence. The university had facilities for this kind of event on hand. Although they were not nearly as upscale and grand as the hotel, they were passable for normal presentations. I'd gathered from James that this alumnus, Edward Cullen, was a little more valuable to the university than most that came forward with the prospect of donations though. Therefore we were going all out to please him.

I turned onto the small country lane which was enveloped by a towering curtain of trees, leaning inwards to shroud the daylight from above. The road seemed never-ending, although it made sense considering the hotel was praised for its distance from the "wild" student life that surrounded this area. Finally I emerged from the wall of trees, relieved by the sight of daylight once more. It was dimming, leaving behind it a mysterious pink tint in the sky.

My first glimpse of the hotel left me completely stunned by its beauty. It was like an elegant mansion out of one my Jane Austen novels. There was an aura of nineteenth century England which lingered in vast grounds that extended beyond eyesight. Stone walls rose up before of me, looking suitably aged to match the natured location. Dim orange lights glowed from each of the many windows, inviting me into the warmth and refinement inside. I wanted nothing more than to ditch the entire presentation evening and explore this exquisite place for the rest of the night.

I pulled up in front of the grand entrance, still in awe of such beauty. A smartly dressed valet rushed forward, appraising my truck with poorly disguised enmity. Clearly this wasn't the type of vehicle that typically pulled up here, judging by the number of high class black sedans which were forming a queue behind me. As I hopped out, clutch in hand, he stopped me.

"Err ma'am, sorry but we have a private event here tonight. I'm afraid we don't have any rooms to spare. You could try the Holt Motel just off the highway."

I tried to ignore his critical sneer as I held out my keys. "Oh, my name's Isabella Swan, from the English Department of Brown. I should be on the guest list."

The valet pulled a folded piece of paper from his waistcoat pocket, scanning it briefly.

"Ah yes, Miss Swan. My apologies, right this way," his judgmental tone was replaced with politeness. He led me through grand entrance, repeating my name to one of his colleagues who handed me a name badge, before disappearing to park my truck.

A woman smiled falsely at me as she took my coat and moved to take my clutch. I held my palm up in to stop and she stepped back, smile never faltering. She handed me a slip of paper with the numbers 472 printed upon it, and bid me good evening.

I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the hotel lobby which had been left mostly unchanged from its original decor. I turned, drinking in this room in its magnificence. The stone walls were bare except for the modern electric lights which shone brightly from each corner. To the left of the entrance, a grand staircase stood coated in blue carpeting and sleek wooden banisters which had the most extraordinary carvings. I would have gone closer to inspect had the lobby not been full of other guests who may have thought me strange considering the truck I had arrived in. The ceiling above also had some exquisite paintings on it from a huge palette of colours. In the centre hung a grand chandelier with candles that flickered in the soft breeze. Towards the right, a set of sofas, antique no doubt, sat arranged around the large fireplace which crackled invitingly. I would have loved to just lie there with a book all night.

"Bella!" someone called from behind me.

I turned and embraced the owner of the voice I recognised.

"Hey Rose, how are you?"

"I'm great, isn't this place stunning?" she gushed, pulling back. I nodded in agreement. Rose was wearing a jade floor length gown which slit to her knee. It had a single pleat, held by the bust of her dress that flowed down to flatter her slender legs. On her feet was a pair of stilettos that were high even by Rosalie's standard, with straps that crossed back and forth up her leg. The top of her dress was strapless, drawing attention to her bare neck, upon which a small diamond necklace was nestled into the crook. She'd put her hair in a stylish up-do, clearly wanting to show off her new accessory. She looked incredible, and I instantly felt a pang of envy as I realised Alice's work would never stand up against Rose's beauty, no matter how long I spent in that darn make-up chair.

We made our way towards the presentation room which was brightly lit by wall lights all around. The room was quite simple compared to the others I'd seen in this hotel, clearly having been refurbished in order to fit its new purpose. The room was huge though, making it ideal for the number of people who had turned up for the evening. I was sure every research department from Brown would have at least one representative, and then there was a matter of plus ones for the senior staff, and all the employees from this company of Edward Cullen's. Rather than having ordered rows of chairs set in front of the presentation stage, small high tables were scattered around the room for people to gather around in order to make the event seem less formal. A bar stood in the furthest corner from the presentation area, which had rows of champagne lined up across it.

"Shall we?" Rose prompted, and we grinned as we went over to fetch a glass each. With my nerves, I was sure I would need it.

We perched ourselves on two stools at one of the tables towards the back of the hall, sipping our champagne.

"Quite a turnout, huh?" Rose noted. I glanced nervously at the hundreds of guests who were milling around socially in their formal attire. Each time I spotted a new face, fear would strike me with a painful twinge in my stomach. I tried to distract myself.

"Alice gave me this, she asked for you to pass it on Jasper" I murmured, retrieving the envelope from my purse. Rose took it, turning it over in her hands with curiosity.

"Does that mean she's coming clean?" she asked.

I shrugged, taking a large swig of my drink. "Hopefully, this has gone on long enough."

Rose nodded, taking a smaller sip from her own drink.

Just then a man stepped up to the microphone placed on the large presentation stage. He tapped it once, causing the audience to jump, startled, and look in his direction. He cleared his throat once, a little embarrassed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for joining us on this very special occasion. Tonight we are here to present to you the wonderful research that our university has carried out. We are very proud of all that we discover, and we're delighted to be able to celebrate and share each of our achievements tonight. Of course, we are all aware that the very generous Mr Cullen, from Masen Enterprises, has decided to aid the university in whatever way he can so that we may grow and expand this research to a greater level. May we please take a moment to thank him for his kind gesture."

The room burst into applause, with people beaming in all directions, hoping to get a glimpse of the elusive Edward Cullen. Rose rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Bet he doesn't even show up. I heard he never shows up to any of these functions, likes to keep to himself. No one really knows what he looks like, other than your typical rumours that his looks are godlike. Please," she huffed.

I raised my eyebrows at her. She smirked and leaned in closer.

"Rumour has it that he grew up as an orphan, looked after by his Aunt and Uncle. In his teenage years he got wildly rebellious, slept with the entire female student body at Brown, drank excessively, smoked heavily, all of that kind of rubbish. He graduated with flying colours, aced everything without even turning up to a single lecture, then not long after inherited this big company from a distant Uncle or whatever. No one knows how they were even related, but yeah. Now he's loaded, he just throws money at whatever," she whispered.

I scowled at her. "How do you know this?"

She giggled, "Once he got rich, a bunch of the girls he screwed over in college held a sexual harassment lawsuit. Of course he paid them all off before it could get too big, but it was too late. The media was all over his background and his upbringing. There was a huge fiasco of him trying to sue the media for invading his privacy. Lots of money was exchanged, and eventually he made the whole issue go away. The story is virtually untraceable. Luckily, I'm very good at getting information if I want it," she winked slyly.

I giggled with her. The applause died down and we could no longer discuss the scandalous Edward Cullen as the old man on stage continued.

"However, this is about much more than donations. It's about showing everything we have to offer here at Brown. How our high standard of work has led us to be the chosen subject of Mr Cullen's donations in the first place. We are a highly prestigious university and…"

People had already started chatting again, gathering around tables to discuss the beautiful gardens, or the fantastic venue. No one was paying attention to the man at the microphone and he trailed off into silence. I felt bad for the poor guy, but also felt a little sense of relief that people probably wouldn't pay attention to my presentation at all.

"Without further ado," he boomed, catching people's attention once more, but continuing as if he hadn't been ignored, "Let's begin the presentations. Please put your hands together for Lauren Mallory from the Department of American Studies." People clapped once more, with less enthusiasm, realising this wasn't going to be the fun social party they had been anticipating after all.

A slim corn-silk blonde girl stepped up on stage. She wore a pink dress that was two sizes too small for her, and fumbled to get her USB stick into the port on the side of the project computer. She cursed multiple times before finally managing to get it in, and then stepped up arrogantly to the centre of stage. When she began speaking, her nasal voice set my teeth on edge.

"The American Studies Department is constantly seeking to understand society and cultures which are emerging within our times. Our work is vital in ensuring that everyone has a critical awareness of cultural influences."

Rose huffed, "This is going to be a long night."

"Tell me about it," I moaned.

"Another?" she asked gleefully, holding up her empty champagne glass. I nodded gratefully and she disappeared to fetch two more from the bar.

-x-

After the fifteenth presentation, the audience had completely lost interest and were now swamping the bar. Rose and I, having finished almost four glasses of champagne, were barely capable of anything other than making crude jokes about the students presenting.

"What colour lipstick do you call that? Scarlet Hooker?" Rose chortled. The poor maths student we'd been insulting trotted off stage, clearly upset by the fact that no one had listened to a word she'd said.

It hadn't skipped our notice that most of the students doing the presentations were young females, although not all of them seemed to do the trick of playing eye candy for the mysterious Mr Cullen, who had yet to make an appearance.

"Right," Rose said, "I'm up next. Let's see if I can liven up the party."

"And now," the old man who had begun the presentation evening looked visibly bored by tonight's event. He clearly hadn't been lucky enough to get to the bar yet. "From the Institute for Brain Science, please welcome Miss Rosalie Hale to the stage."

The audience applauded slowly as Rose crossed to the front of the stage confidently, while a technician who seemed already head over heels for her put her USB in the port. Instantly the stunning colours which were projected around the room had heads turning to see what Rose had to say about her field. Of course, Rose knew how to capture attention. She allowed them to absorb all the stunning animations which showed the wonders of the human brain before beginning to entice them into her work with her excellent speech.

Rose and I had practised our presentations to one another before, so I knew hers inside out. Even without her cleverly put together presentation, she would have brought interest through her great knowledge of her subject, and the easily identifiable practical applications that went with it. She was a sure winner of Mr Cullen's donation.

I hunched over my table, fiddling with stem of my champagne glass.

"You look like you could use another," someone noted as they came to perch on the stool Rose had just vacated. His voice was smooth and low and seemed almost familiar, although I didn't look up to place it.

"As much as I'd love to, I really ought to stay at least a little bit sober. Wouldn't want to fall off the stage mid-presentation." I replied. He chuckled lightly.

"It would certainly make a change from the boring drawl that's been going on all night."

I looked up at Rose on stage, "Rosalie's presentation isn't boring at all," I countered, "she's far better than anyone else tonight."

My new companion hmm'd in agreement. "Still it's hardly needed. Neuroscience was always bound to get a donation, it's generally expected to."

I wanted to defend Rose's effort but even she'd admitted it didn't matter what she said, throw it the word 'brain research' and the money comes flooding in.

"So what do you do?" I asked my companion.

"Business and Economics," he replied. I could feel his gaze boring into me, and I ducked my head, using my hair to draw a curtain between his eyes and my face. "And what do you do, Miss… Swan?" he murmured, leaning around to read my name badge. That's when I finally saw him.

I instantly recognised his messy bronze hair, his green eyes, his sharp jaw. _Oh no_.

I gaped at him in horror.

"You," I uttered incredulously.

He raised his eyebrows, "I'm sorry?" he asked. _That voice_. I'd done my best to block the memory of our embarrassing encounter all week; I'd almost forgotten how gorgeous he was. Now I wondered how I could ever have forgotten, with a face that was made only for one place. Heaven.

I realised he must have thought I was answering his question, and flushed bright crimson.

"Sorry," I murmured, "I just- err- we've met."

He looked at my curiously, studying my face. Of course he wouldn't recognise me, I was completely ordinary, there was no way he'd ever remember a face like mine.

"Clumsy girl," he stated, grinning.

_Crap_. Him remembering was even worse than him not remembering. I turned a whole new shade of red, and found myself babbling.

"I really am sorry about the whole quad thing, I was in a massive rush and I-"

"Hey," he interrupted; looking at me with amusement, there was no hostility in his eyes now, only friendliness. _Those eyes_. "It's no problem, I was in a rush, you were in a rush, we both weren't looking around us. Water under the bridge," he grinned.

I found myself smiling too, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear.

"It's Bella, by the way," I said feeling myself relax as I got lost in his eyes.

His dark brows furrowed, confused.

"My name," I hurriedly corrected, "you called me Miss Swan, I prefer Bella."

The friendliness returned to his eyes and he held out a hand. "Bella," he repeated, "short for?"

"Isabella," I replied, tentatively shaking his hand. That same spark I had felt last week shot through my hand and I dropped it quickly before I embarrassed myself anymore. He didn't seem to notice, leaning casually on the table we were sat at.

"So, Bella, are you doing a presentation?" he asked.

The overwhelming nervousness I had felt before he'd arrived flooded back into me, and I had to grip the table to keep myself from collapsing.

"Yes, for the English Department. My Professor, James Taylor, he asked me to do it. He said I'd be good, but I think he was crazy to do so. I can't do public speaking, I can barely speak at all," he was definitely getting good evidence of that from my babbling. He mercifully interrupted before I could embarrass myself further.

"English, hmm? What books do you read?" he was looking at me so intensely, like he was truly interested in what I had to say.

"Anything really," I shrugged, "Shakespeare's a favourite, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, you name it. Actually, I've recently got into H.P. Lovecraft, or more modern Stephen King." I smiled, having stayed up most nights this week to read The Gunslinger.

"Lovecraft?" he asked surprised, "you know he was born here in Providence?" I nodded, already well informed about my authors.

"Girl knows her literature," he muttered to himself before he continued. "So why are you nervous about your presentation?"

I blinked at him, surprised he couldn't immediately tell. It was really very obvious. "I'm not great with public speaking, all the people- it's just not for me." I should have just stopped there, but something about this guy made me want to spill everything. "Last time I did a small presentation for my English class, I ended up fainting. It was mortifying, they had to call the nurse and then they called paramedics because they thought I'd bumped my head. People never really stopped thinking I was a massive idiot after that."

"Well, Isabella Swan," I loved how he said my full name, "how about tonight we change that impression?"

"Right," I sighed, leaning forward to hide my humiliation.

He paused for a minute, "Well, you seem relatively comfortable talking to me."

If only he knew how wild the butterflies in my stomach were going. Still, I chose not to express this little piece of information, instead just nodding.

"So how about you quite keep your eyes on me. Deliver your presentation as if there were no one else here but you and me, how does that sound?"

Horrible. Perfect.

"Okay," I whispered, feeling absolutely terrified.

As if on cue, Rose left the stage, a huge round of applause and cheers following her as she went. She winked at me on her way off. The old man returned to the stage, looking far more excited by the prospects of this evening. That could only have meant that Rose's presentation had gone swimmingly. I felt like a poor friend for not paying attention.

"And now from the Department of Language and Literature, please welcome Miss Isabella Swan to the stage."

Beside me, my new acquaintance turned and smiled crookedly at me, my heart skipped a beat. His head bopped forward, motioning me to take my place on stage. I walked up, feeling completely panic stricken. The technician took my USB from me, placing it in the port, and up in front of the large crowd appeared my presentation. My throat closed up. Oh god. I turned towards the audience who were looking at me with eagerness, ready for a presentation that matched the perfection of Rosalie's. _Oh god_.

Then I saw him. My angel. Looking up at me with an encouraging smile, and I did exactly what he said. I forgot where we were. I forgot that a room full of people had their eyes on me. I forgot that somewhere, Edward Cullen, or his representatives, were judging me right now and basing their decision to aid the English department solely on what I said. I only saw him.

The panic which had been crushing my chest since the moment I had arrived seemed to seep away, leaving behind a confidence I had never felt before.

"Shakespeare, Dickens, Tolkien, these are the names of the past. Rowling, Brown, these names are very much the present. Names which are classic, written into history by their own words. These people didn't end wars or discover a country, but they did something that some consider even more extraordinary. They created a world…" my rehearsed speech fell from my tongue naturally. I found myself moving across the stage with ease, my eyes never leaving his.

The entire time he just kept smiling at me, nodding at me each time I paused to gather my thoughts. I finally reached my conclusion, the point I hadn't rehearsed yet. I knew what I was going to say though, deep down.

"There isn't a lot else to say, other than to each one of you, think of the first time you opened a book. Think of how you fell in love with the characters, the narrative, how you never wanted to put it down. Speaking of behalf of my fellow students and lecturers, there is nothing else in the world I want more than to bring that kind of love, passion, excitement, to people like you. So, I ask you to give us that opportunity, and maybe, just maybe, ours will be the names of tomorrow."

Corny I know, but it seemed to do the trick. The angel winked at me as suddenly the entire room burst into applause, almost as loud as Rosalie's. I beamed at him, relief swelling inside of me. As I left the stage, Rose waited for me, hands on hip.

"Bella Swan, what was that?"

I bit my lip worried, "Was it bad?" I asked, confused.

"Are you kidding!" she cried, pulling me into a large embrace, "You were incredible."

"Miss Swan," his smooth voice came from behind me. Rose's eyes shifted over my shoulder and widened as she took in his the sight of my angel. I turned, and once again was caught completely off guard by his striking eyes. He was wearing that crooked smile again, which made my heart falter, then take off double time. He handed me a fresh glass of champagne. "I think that deserves a toast," he murmured, chinking our glasses together.

The next presenter was stepping onto the stage, a chubby girl with cropped black hair, who looked at me enviously as this mystery man steered me towards a table at the far end of the room. I looked back at Rose in complete shock. Her expression seemed to mirror mine but she shooed me on encouragingly. We reached our destination, which seemed was tucked nicely into the corner. I took a sip of my champagne.

"You were right," I said, "I completely forgot the audience once I got up there."

He smiled, sipping his own champagne, "glad to be of service, Isabella." I would have corrected him, but the way he said my full name sounded so right, I was too busy swooning to care.

"Bella!" I heard some call.

The angel and I looked up at the same time to see James making his way over to us. He wasn't dressed in his usual get-up, instead sporting an old brown suit that looked a little too large for him, but sufficed. When he saw my company, James' grin faltered, before he recomposed himself in an attempt to appear the bolder man.

"Ah Bella, that was wonderful," he chimed, leaning in to give me a swift kiss on the cheek. I'm sure it was meant simply as a polite gesture, but the way he lingered there felt almost predatory to me.

"Thank you, James. I'm so grateful for your help."

James replied with a soft pat on the shoulder, "and I see that it did the trick. Mr Cullen is already discussing the benefits of donating to our fantastic department I see," he said, now turning to the angel. I looked between them confused.

"Mr Cullen?" I choked out. Oh no.

James chuckled, "Don't tell me you're on first name terms already Edward. That was fast moving, even by your standards," I heard a hint bitterness in his tone.

Oh god no. Please let this not be happening.

_Edward, _looked at me strangely, almost apologetically, with a slightly bashful gleam in his eyes. "Yes well, Isabella made quite an impression."

"She sure did," James replied, throwing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. This was just too uncomfortable, I had to get out of here.

"Excuse me," I gasped, pushing out from under James. My head was spinning.

James called after me, "Bella!"

I saw Rose turn to see what was going on, and caught her eye. Our eyes had a silent exchange as I bee-lined for the exit. I knew she would follow.

* * *

**Well, this is a bit longer than usual. Anyway, I think this will be my last chapter until the end of January. Studying calls. I will see you all in the New Year, looking forward to it :). Thanks for reading.**


	7. The Elusive Swan

**Chapter 6- The Elusive Swan**

I pushed open the wide double doors which led to the grounds behind the grand hotel, allowing the cool summer air to wash over me. I sighed, my foggy head beginning to clear.

Edward Cullen. How could I have been so stupid? All that blushing and flirting, I'd made a right fool of myself. As if someone as beautiful as him would ever have been interested in someone like me. My heart sank. It was all a trick. Some sick game he'd been playing all along. He'd recognised me from last week, and decided to play me. Make me believe he was a student, get me to admit how horribly nervous about my presentation I was, make me think that I'd actually done a good job in it, make me believe he actually liked me… I sank down on the stone steps which led down to the old fountain. The water drumming as it splashed the surface of the pool matched the fast beating of my heart.

No. It had been all for nothing. Edward was never going to give my department the funds we'd been fighting for. He'd had his fun, done his punishment, now he could go back to being that cruel and hostile angel I'd wrongly crossed last week.

The clicking of stilettos which had followed me finally made it out onto the veranda. Rose crossed down the steps in front of me and turned, hands on hips.

"What was that?" she demanded.

I lay my head against the cool stone pillar beside me. "That," I sighed, "was Edward Cullen."

Rose looked at me like I was insane. "You didn't know? The whole time you didn't realise that you were sipping champagne and flirting with Edward Cullen? Really, Bella? He was the only male young enough to _be_ Edward Cullen, considering all the presenting students were female eye candy."

I nodded, my shame growing by the second.

"I've ruined it for the English department, haven't I?" I croaked. I was surprised to find that my throat had closed up, and desperately wished for another glass of champagne to quench it.

Rose hoisted her dress up in an unladylike fashion, and slid down onto the ground, a couple of steps below me. She grasped my hands tightly within hers.

"Your presentation was better than any other departments', Bella, even mine. Even if Edward Cullen is too stupid to see that, his advisors won't be. They're smart enough to know a good opportunity when it's practically handed to them on a plate."

I rubbed my thumb over Rose's knuckles in appreciation. She and Alice were everything to me, I didn't know what I was going to do when we graduated and Alice left for London.

"I'm such an idiot, Rose. James will never forgive me." I pretended that my biggest fear was falling from the pedestal James had placed me on, but truthfully, it was mostly my heart and my ego which were wounded. I had allowed myself to be so easily swept up by this guy; I had gotten so lost in his eyes. He'd taken me for a ride and like a fool I'd fallen for his smooth words and amazing hair. I cursed myself for acting like such a child.

Maybe this would never have happened if I'd just listened to Jacob. If I'd just accepted that he was all I would ever get. At the time it didn't feel like enough. Now I knew what having nothing felt like. Rose had been right last week, I hadn't moved forward with my life since Jacob. Perhaps that's because deep down I knew I would never do better.

Not that Jacob wasn't good enough. He was everything, kind, loyal, funny. I just didn't feel the overwhelming love for him that I'd read so much about. Sure, I loved him, but he would always be first and foremost, my best friend. I guess I realised that would never change. But I was eighteen then. I was young and naive. At twenty one, I should have realised that the kind of love I was seeking couldn't possibly exist.

This time last week I'd believed it did, though I wasn't kidding myself, I knew it was rare. But Alice and Jasper had found the chink in their armour, and it didn't look like either of them was fighting to fix it. So, I must have been wrong.

Rose patted my hand sympathetically, before jumping up from her step. Even in her tight dress and ridiculous heels, she still made it look graceful.

"What you need is another glass of champagne," she winked before disappearing back into the hotel. The sound of buzzing voices and a string quartet were now filling the night, and I realised the presentations must now be over. I suppose under different circumstances this might have been a truly lovely evening, had I not gone and screwed everything up.

The footsteps returned and a glass of champagne was passed over my shoulder. I took it gratefully, allowing myself a large, undignified swig. I gasped in relief.

"Thank you," I sighed.

"Not a problem," came that smooth, deep voice I'd come to know so well this evening.

I spun around, horrified. The fact that the footsteps hadn't consisted of clicking heels should have been my first clue that my new company wasn't Rose. Still, like the idiot I apparently was, I hadn't paid any attention to it. Now I regretted being so heedless.

His lips had curled up in that half-smile which set my heart beating double time. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

I didn't get a chance to reply as he casually took a seat beside me on the steps. I would have thought someone like him would have been too concerned for the well-being of his suit to dirty it on the stone floor, Lord knows he definitely appeared that way the first time we met.

"It's quite a pleasant night, don't you think?" he asked politely, surveying the beautiful grounds. I took a moment to admire them myself. Beyond the great fountain stood acres and acres of open land, with trees acting as the barrier between the real world and the dream world of this hotel. The moon hung low above us, illuminating everything with a mysterious white glow. He was right, the night was wonderful, or it had been.

I stared straight ahead, not wanting to look at him, partly because I was angry with him, mostly because I didn't want to get drawn in by his façade like I had before. I could feel his gaze on me, obviously evaluating my silence. The atmosphere between us was tense. Not awkward, something else, but I couldn't name the feeling. I tried not to care. Eventually he returned to looking at the grounds, freeing me from his searching eyes. I released a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding.

"Not very chatty when you're sober, are you?" he mused.

I slammed down my champagne glass and turned to glare at him.

"Was there something you wanted?" I growled.

He looked startled by my sudden outburst, leaning away from me with his palms up.

"Take is easy, Bella. I was just trying to have a conversation."

I turned away from him, focusing my scowl on the lapping water. "I don't want a conversation. Not with _you_."

His reply was harsher than I'd expected, the joking tone gone. "What? Because suddenly I'm a _billionaire businessman_," he said this as if the words were poisonous, "I'm not good enough for your company?"

That brought me up short. That wasn't the problem here, not at all! I angled my body towards him.

"You lied to me," I hissed.

"What makes you think that?!"

"You said you were a student!"

"I said no such thing!"

"You did!" I screeched, "You said you studied business and economics!"

"No, I said I _did_ business and economics, which, in case you haven't realised, I do."

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"You _seemed _like an intelligent girl, I would have thought you'd have enough common sense to put two and two together. Or at least have done some research before you came to _my_ event"

"Well sorry, but the '_Edward Cullen Biography_' isn't on my reading list!"

Edward ran a frustrated hand through his messy copper hair.

"You know, most girls would be thrilled to find they had spent an entire evening in my company."

I stood up, appalled. Who does this jerk think he is?

"Oh, well don't let me keep you from them. If you move fast, you might be able to have that American Studies girl in your hotel room by midnight." I was being stupid, I knew I was. I was giving him the satisfaction of knowing that his mockery had got to me, but I couldn't stop myself.

I turned on my heel and stormed back into the hotel. I thought I heard him call after me but didn't look back to check. Angry tears were already forming at in my eyes, threatening to spill over and ruin Alice's masterpiece. I walked straight through the lobby, stating my name harshly to the valet, who rushed off quickly to retrieve my truck. I ignored the critical looks I received as I hopped into the cab, slamming the door shut and ramming my foot down on the gas. I needed to be away from this place, now.

I drove faster than my truck was used to, the anger slowly seeping away, mortification taking its place.

What had I done?

If I hadn't completely screwed it up for the English Department before, I certainly had now.

"Stupid, _stupid_," I muttered all the way home. I'd made an ass out of myself and an ass out of my college. Why couldn't I have just been professional? When Edward had given me the champagne I should have just politely thanked him and left. I shouldn't have been flirting before. And I most definitely should not have insulted the one person who I had worked so hard to impress. Even if he had decided long before my little outburst that my department wasn't getting a cent of the money he was donating, that was no excuse for me to throw such a tantrum.

But he had really worked me up. It was more than a wounded ego. I'd had my fair share of embarrassment; high school had been an endless path of low self-esteem. But this felt so much worse. This really felt like a betrayal.

But why? I hardly knew the jerk.

I pulled up into my parking spot outside the apartment, and lay my head across the steering wheel of the truck. I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. I finally remembered Rose. She would have returned to the veranda only to find myself gone with that egotistical _Cullen _in my place. No doubt, she'd wonder where I was.

I leaned over to the passenger seat, only to find my clutch bag not there. Panicked, I searched on the floor, in the dashboard, under the seat, in the back. It was nowhere to be seen. With a new horror, I realised I'd left it right there next to him. He had my bag, my phone, my ID.

I pulled my hand through my long curls, leaving them in disarray.

"Great. Just great. Perfect" I spat. Perhaps he'd be a decent person and mail them to me. Somehow I very much doubted it.

-x-

**Edward POV**

"Bella!" I called. She didn't even falter as she strove through the lobby.

Her soft voice sounded wrong as it barked her name to the valet, who promptly rushed off to retrieve her car. I paid no attention to the curious looks we were receiving, my eyes only following her as she made her way to the valet, who had just pulled up in the most awful red truck, and held out the keys.

Even as furious as she was, she muttered a thank you as she took her keys from the valet. He reluctantly handed them over, looking as though he believed she was unfit to drive in her current state. Part of me hoped he might stop her and force her to spend the night here. If I'd managed to catch up with her, I would have insisted she did too. But I felt slow and exhausted, as if the very presence of this strange girl had drugged me and I could no longer think with coherent thoughts.

I watched as she pulled out of the hotel. Not once did she look back in my direction, though I urged her too.

Before we'd argued, she'd simply been the most attractive girl at the event. The girl I'd hoped to take back to my penthouse suite by the end of the night. Of course, when she spoke about her subject, she really piqued my interest, with her confidence that was neither arrogant, nor smug, and her passion which was overwhelming. But it wasn't until she had yelled at me, when she'd looked at me with such fury in her beautiful eyes that I was truly taken in by this mysterious creature.

I wasn't used to women speaking to me in any way, other than their pathetic, dim-witted attempts at flirting. I never really cared for what they said anyway. So long as by the end of the night they were in my bed, it didn't matter whether they had a brain or not.

Sure, I'd had my share of intelligent girls as well as brainless ones, but neither had ever dared to stand up against me. After all, I'm Edward Cullen. As I'd pointed out to Miss Swan, they'd all do just about anything to simply be in my company.

But not her. She couldn't stand the sight of me. Discovering that I was the owner of a multi-billion dollar business had repulsed her so thoroughly that she'd left in protest of my company. It was absurd. I understood why women wanted to be with me when they knew who I was; I was a wealthy man with a lot of perks to offer. But, no one had ever reacted like that to my identity.

Sure, sometimes the rumours could be off-putting, but I'd done my best to control them, and it didn't seem like Bella had any clue who I was when I first met her, so how could she possibly have heard any of the rumours that went with it. I couldn't understand why she was suddenly so angry to learn my identity.

And yet I could. I was a monster, a disgusting leech. I'd done some terrible things in my life which I could never undo. And she had seen right through me. Known exactly what I was. And in all her beauty and pureness, she ran.

_Good_, I thought harshly. _Someone who can speak so lovingly about anything shouldn't be anywhere near someone like me_.

I raked my hands through my messy copper hair. I'd given up on attempting to fix the disarray long ago. I returned to the veranda where we'd argued, and sank back down on the step we had just been sitting on.

Her champagne glass sat still and untouched where she'd slammed it on the concrete and I unthinkingly swigged its contents down in a swift gulp, all the while glaring at the unseen eyes who glared back at me in my mind.

_I don't care_, I told myself. _She's nothing, a no one. And if she thinks she and her stupid department are getting a cent of my donation…_

I sighed. I couldn't deny her that. Repulsion or not, she'd given her heart and soul to that presentation, and she deserved the donation, more than any of the other departments.

A noisy vibration at my feet startled me out of my thoughts. I glanced down and spotted the black clutch bag I instantly recognised as Bella's from earlier this evening. I picked it up and unthinkingly pulled the blackberry from its pocket, not pausing to consider how Bella might feel if she knew I were rifling around in her belongings now. The screen light seemed dim in comparison to the moon. A picture of the blonde I'd seen Bella with earlier, caller ID told me her name was Rose, flashed up and faded multiple times. I stared each time, deliberating what to do. Do I return the purse to Bella's friend and be done with her? Or keep it for myself and hope she has to track me down to retrieve it. I found myself leaning towards the latter…

I quickly shook my head, dispelling that idea. I wanted rid of that girl, I didn't want to have a part of her with me and the knowledge of our impending meeting when she retrieved this part hanging over my head all the time. I decided to seek out her friend, slipping the phone back into the purse and returning to the hotel foyer.

Inside people were talking and laughing as the string quartet played softly, creating a relaxed atmosphere which contrasted the thoughts in my head at that moment. The university had done a good job hosting this event, yet I still cursed them for it. I knew they had the facilities at Brown to host it at the campus; I'd been a student there. Just because they were so desperate for what I had to offer, they made such a great effort to impress me? That just made the effort false. Just like everything and everyone else in my life. It was all false interest, false caring, false everything…

I scanned my surroundings for the blonde as I made my way towards the presentation room when a figure stood in my way.

The corn-silk blonde in the pink dress from one of the earlier presentations I couldn't remember looked up at me with what I suppose she thought was a sexy smile, although it seemed to resemble more of a grimace.

"Hi," she purred, her nasal voice ringing in my ears.

I didn't bother to reply, instead scanning over her head for Bella's friend Rose. She didn't seem to notice my ignoring her. Either that or she didn't care.

"This hotel is really something, isn't it? It's so pretty, don't you think?"

I continued scoping the room, spotting many interested eyes scoping me back, but never landing on the eyes I was searching for.

"My parents bring me here all the time when they visit, although I prefer something more modern and high tech."

I still refused to look at her, although now I was simply trying to make a point for her to go away.

"I've stayed in the penthouse nine times, although I couldn't get book it for tonight. I suppose that's where you're staying, huh?"

I spotted the blonde at the far corner chatting with a large burly man I knew to be my brother, Emmett. He guffawed stupidly at something she'd said, and I felt a sick feeling down in the pit of my stomach knowing that he was probably going to try and charm her into _my_ penthouse using _my_ name, something he very frequently did when I took him to business events.

_No way_, I thought. I'm going to make sure the penthouse is occupied before he could even tell that girl he's related to me.

I turned back to the corn-silk blonde and raked my eyes over her slowly. She was skinny, and possibly attractive, if you go for the kind of girl who tries way too hard, wears way too much makeup and not enough clothes. I decided she'd do, slipping Bella's clutch inside my jacket and out of sight.

"Well, there's no reason we can't share." I murmured suggestively.

Her eyes lit up as she caught the hint in my words.

"Lead the way," she grinned, delighted that she'd finally got a response.

I placed my hand on the small of her and guided her towards the elevator, glancing back quickly at the blonde and Emmett back in the corner. He was staring at me now, and shaking his head with a sad look on his face. It was one I was all too familiar with and didn't want to have to face now

I quickly turned my gaze back to the corn-silk blonde and smirked as the elevator doors opened and we stepped in. The second the doors closed behind us she was draped over me, and I instinctively pushed her up against the back wall. She looked up at me, clearly proud of herself for being tonight's "catch."

"I'll make sure tonight is a night you'll never forget, Mr Cullen," she whispered in my ear. I rolled my eyes. _Like I've never heard that before._ She would be lucky if I even remembered what she looked like by this time tomorrow. Still, so long as she made me forget the other girl on my mind…

Not once did I think of anything but the elusive Bella Swan that night.

* * *

Hi all! It's been a while. I finished exams a couple of weeks ago and have since just been getting myself back on my feet. It's been stressful but I'm so glad it's over. I still have coursework due in over the following few weeks so I'm not completely free but I like to take breaks from that and write chapters so there hopefully won't be such a large gap between this and the next one. Anyway, thanks for reading, as always :). See you soon!


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